Synthesis Passages One of the newest and most visible changes to the ACT is the presence of the synthesis passage in the ACT Reading test. By synthesis passage we mean a two-for-one set of passages that tests the student’s ability to synthesize from two sources of information and compare two texts. This is one of the few ways that ACT has started to conform to the Common Core State Standards rather than the other way around. This new passage type has a predictable pattern that students should use to their advantage. Students who aren’t expecting to see this passage type will waste precious time and might get thrown off by the format. Refer to Reading Passage III and questions #21–30 on pages 36–38 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. The questions associated with this passage on pages 37–38 are split into three clearly labeled parts. The first part includes questions that only pertain to Passage A. The second part contains questions pertaining only to Passage B. The final part asks questions that require students to synthesize from both Passages A and B. This structure lends itself to a unique reading strategy. Students should first read or skim Passage A. Then they should answer the questions that pertain only to Passage A. In this example, those are questions #21–25. After answering questions #21–25, students should return to the text and read or skim Passage B. They will then be able to answer the remaining questions (in this example, questions #26–30). Attacking the passage in this way allows students to answer half of the questions with a fresh take on the part of the passage most relevant. The strategies covered throughout the Reading Test Mastery section can apply to most of the questions in a synthesis passage. Seven out of ten questions related to Passage III, for instance, only concern one passage. That being said, roughly three questions on each ACT Reading test will concern two passages, and so we have included below a couple tips for answering this question type.
One Passage at a Time Refer to Reading question #29 on page 37 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. Students may feel bewildered by how much text they need to consider at once in order to answer a question like #29. It seems that they must identify a writing process in Passage A and compare it to a story in Passage B. Students should consider one piece at a time. It’s often the case that only one passage has the answer they seek. For example, in question #29, before thinking specifically about the story that appears in Passage B, students should consider which of the answer choices provided actually conforms to the writing process that Bradbury describes in Passage A. It turns out that only choice C accurately describes the writing process, so there is no need to refer to Passage B. The descriptor above this set of questions, which reads Questions 28–30 ask about both passages, is somewhat misleading. Yes, question #29 does ask about both passages, but only one passage is needed to arrive at an answer.
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DECODING THE ACT
New Excerpt Refer to Reading question #30 on page 38 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. It seems to be a trend for synthesis passages to have a question formatted like question #30. This question type introduces an additional excerpt so that students must consider three sources in order to answer the question. One thing to keep in mind about this question type is that the text introduced in the question tends to be much more important than either of the passages. For example, in question #30 only choice G is clearly supported by the new excerpt. The other choices can be eliminated without much reference to Passages A and B.
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The Death of ALL EXCEPT A quick note to those of you who have provided ACT Reading test preparation in the past. For a long time, there had been a prominent question wording that required particular coaching with students: “All of the following…EXCEPT:” In this question type, students had to find the three details that were supported in order to determine the one detail that wasn’t. The negative wording often tripped students up. They found a supported answer instead of an unsupported one if they didn’t read the question carefully. It appears that the ALL EXCEPT question category has died a quick, quiet death. We are still waiting on an additional year of data to officially declare the demise of ALL EXCEPT, but no released Reading test since December of 2014 has featured this question type. The most likely reason for this disappearance is an effort on the part of the ACT to compete with the SAT and simplify its verbiage, making its test more approachable for students. All is not lost for the negative question type, however. A relatively ancient format has reappeared in at least one test in the past two years: “Which of the following questions does the passage NOT answer?” In any event, the ACT is staying true to its pattern of putting in ALL CAPS the indicators that a question is in the negative format. Unfortunately, people have a subconscious tendency to skip text in ALL CAPS! In light of this information, we recommend that you spend time coaching your students on carefully reading the questions (especially anything capitalized), but you should avoid specifically addressing the ALL EXCEPT syntax. For now, we advise against telling your students that ALL EXCEPT has disappeared entirely. We don’t have enough data to support that statement, and the ACT can always change its mind. We do have enough data, however, to impact what we recommend for you to focus on.
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DECODING THE ACT
Vocabulary Substitution Vocabulary is important on the ACT, mainly because students who have insufficient vocabularies also have insufficient reading levels, and reading levels are strongly correlated to performance on the ACT Reading test. The ACT will never ask students for an isolated definition of a vocabulary term, so reviewing flashcards of esoteric terms is unlikely to produce ACT score gains. Vocabulary will be tested several times on each Reading test, but the questions always ask for the meaning of a word or phrase in context. For this reason, students who learn the strategy of substitution, maximizing the value of context clues, can work their way to a correct answer even when they are unsure of a certain term or unfamiliar with how it’s being used. This strategy allows students to use the ACT Reading test like a dictionary! Refer to Reading question #6 on page 33 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. In this question, four potential meanings for the term sweep are provided. All of these choices are valid definitions of sweep, but only one fits the context of the sentence. Students who struggle with this question should stop thinking about the word sweep entirely and instead consider the item from another angle: which of these choices is the best fit in line 9? Mentally, students should consider four sentences (from lines 6–10): Malabar and Cumballa hills were our Capitol and Palatine, the Brabourne Stadium was our Colosseum, and as for the glittering Art Deco overwhelming victory of Maine Drive, well, that was something not even Rome could boast. Malabar and Cumballa hills were our Capitol and Palatine, the Brabourne Stadium was our Colosseum, and as for the glittering Art Deco wide-ranging search of Maine Drive, well, that was something not even Rome could boast. Malabar and Cumballa hills were our Capitol and Palatine, the Brabourne Stadium was our Colosseum, and as for the glittering Art Deco complete removal of Maine Drive, well, that was something not even Rome could boast. Malabar and Cumballa hills were our Capitol and Palatine, the Brabourne Stadium was our Colosseum, and as for the glittering Art Deco broad area of Maine Drive, well, that was something not even Rome could boast. In this question, it doesn’t really matter what sweep means; all of the choices are valid definitions for the term. As a matter of fact, we could say that the ACT is a dictionary that has already provided four definitions of sweep. What matters is which definition fits the sentence. Even if students had a real dictionary on hand, it might not help them select the correct answer. Viewed in this way, the question becomes much simpler, even if we didn’t know beforehand that broad area was a possible definition. Victory, removal, and search just don’t make sense in the context of the sentence when substituted for sweep. Another way to explain this to your students is that on the ACT, the choices for the meaning of vocabulary words will probably all be valid definitions. If a choice fits the sentence, then it is correct, even if the student isn’t sure that the word in question can have that particular meaning. The ACT is testing suitability to the sentence, not the definition of the term.
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In other words, the actual question being asked in #6 is: Below are four correct definitions for the word sweep. Which of these definitions fits the use of this word in line 9? Refer to Reading question #9 on page 33 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. In question #9, substitution can get students all the way to the correct answer. It’s worth pointing out to your students that all four possible meanings of drew up are correct definitions of the phrase, but only one fits the sentence as it is used in the passage. Below are the four possible sentences: It was on account of their romance with the city that they extended that weekly rota (list) of shared parental responsibilities. It was on account of their romance with the city that they prepared that weekly rota (list) of shared parental responsibilities. It was on account of their romance with the city that they approached that weekly rota (list) of shared parental responsibilities. It was on account of their romance with the city that they straightened that weekly rota (list) of shared parental responsibilities. Through substitution, students can see that prepared is the most natural fit. Refer to Reading question #18 on page 35 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. Question #18 breaks form by requiring students to determine the meaning of a phrase instead of a word. Two of the choices are not definitions of the phrase. However, substitution can still be used to find the most appropriate choice. Check Your Understanding: Use the vocabulary substitution method to verify the correct answer for question #18. What choice is most likely to distract students from the correct answer? Why?
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DECODING THE ACT
Complexity of ACT Reading Passages Below you will find the word counts, estimated grade levels, and ATOS complexity levels of the four Reading passages that comprise the released test provided in Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. An analysis of this test’s questions and answer choices follows, since a significant portion of the text appearing in the test is in the questions rather than the passage. One interesting result of our analysis is that the reading level and complexity of the questions and answer choices on the ACT Reading test are reliably higher than that of the passages the questions refer to. This fact may have a part in explaining the value of helping students develop an artificial reading level by familiarizing them with the terms and syntax of ACT Reading questions.
GRADE LEVEL
WORD COUNT
ATOS LEVEL
Passage 1 – Passage Text
12th Grade
848
9.4
Passage 1 – Question Text
College
544
11.1
Passage 2 – Passage Text
College
780
10.3
Passage 2 – Question Text
College
414
10.2
Passage 3 – Passage Text
12th Grade
912
6.5
Passage 3 – Question Text
College
763
9.8
Passage 4 – Passage Text
College
784
9.9
Passage 4 – Question Text
College
525
9.8
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Reading Passage Dates and Subjects We have conducted an analysis of the ten most recently released ACT Reading tests in order to provide you with a picture of the dates and topics of Reading passages. The average Reading passage has a copyright date 10 years prior to the test’s release date. The median age of these passages is eight years. One could say that the most likely copyright date for a reading passage provided in 2016 would be 2008. For this reason, even though Chaucer, Shakespeare, and The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire might make for good introductions to complex literature, they may not serve well to improve student familiarity with the typical, modern language structure that shows up so frequently on the ACT. Below is a breakdown of copyright dates and subjects by passage category.
It’s interesting to note that the Natural Science passages are strongly related to life sciences. Natural Science and Social Science passages tend to be somewhat fresher (average 7 and 9.2 years old, respectively) compared to Prose and Humanities passages (average 11.6 and 13 years). A significant percentage of Prose and Humanities passages are over a decade old. The Social Science passages have a marked tendency toward topics about geography. One item not included in this analysis but that should be noted is that the themes of environmentalism and conservation have shown up in many Social Science and Natural Science passages throughout the past few years. If your students are unfamiliar with the fundamentals of these two subjects, it’s well worth providing them a brief introduction. Familiarity helps students retain information during the test and thereby improves scores.
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DECODING THE ACT
Passage I – Literary Narrative or Prose Fiction Average Age: 11.6 years
Median Age: 10 years
Oldest Passage: 21 years
Newest Passage: 5 years
Novel Excerpts:
Short Story Excerpts:
90%
10%
Passage II – Social Science Average Age: 9.2 years
Median Age: 8 years
Oldest Passage: 14 years
Newest Passage: 4 years
Geography:
Social Science/ Anthropology:
History/Biography:
Other:
40%
30%
20%
10%
Passage III – Humanities Average Age: 13 years
Median Age: 7 years
Oldest Passage: 38 years
Newest Passage: 4 years
Memoir:
Literary Criticism:
Art:
Film:
Music:
30%
30%
20%
10%
10%
Passage III – Natural Science Average Age: 7 years
Median Age: 7 years
Oldest Passage: 11 years
Newest Passage: 4 years
Life Sciences:
Geology:
Astronomy/Physics:
60%
20%
20%
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Content Area #1: Locate Two of the most heavily weighted ACT Reading Standard Families belong to the Close Reading category: Locate (#1) and Draw Conclusions (#3). Refer to Reading question #3 on page 33 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16 for an example of this standard family. On locate questions, students must quickly find answers that are spelled out practically word-for-word in the passage while also avoiding trap answers. If students are having trouble with this standard family, focus on these skills covered in the Test Mastery section: •
The Four S’s: Skim (page 276)
•
The Four S’s: Scan (page 283)
•
Meaning, Not Just Word Match (page 291)
CATEGORY: CLOSE READING Family: Locate Weight: 16+% Standards: CLR 201. Locate basic facts (e.g., names, dates, events) clearly stated in a passage CLR 301. Locate simple details at the sentence and paragraph level in somewhat challenging passages CLR 401. Locate important details in somewhat challenging passages CLR 501. Locate and interpret minor or subtly stated details in somewhat challenging passages CLR 502. Locate important details in more challenging passages CLR 601. Locate and interpret minor or subtly stated details in more challenging passages CLR 602. Locate important details in complex passages CLR 701. Locate and interpret minor or subtly stated details in complex passages CLR 702. Locate important details in highly complex passages Example: Reading question #12 on page 34 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16.
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DECODING THE ACT
Content Area #2: Summarize Key Ideas & Details Students who successfully answer questions in this standard family demonstrate mastery of an interesting mix of skills. In order to answer these questions effectively, students must be able to easily “zoom in” on the portion of the passage referenced by the question. In this regard, the skill is similar to close reading. Once there, however, students must comprehend and analyze what they find in order to get to the correct answer. If your students are challenged by this type of question, focus on these skills covered in the Test Mastery section: •
Distractors and Outliers (page 289)
•
The Least Horrible Answer (page 292)
CATEGORY: CENTRAL IDEAS, THEMES, AND SUMMARIES Family: Summarize Key Ideas & Details Weight: 8-15% Standards: IDT 403. Summarize key supporting ideas and details in somewhat challenging passages IDT 503. Summarize key supporting ideas and details in more challenging passages IDT 602. Summarize key supporting ideas and details in complex passages IDT 702. Summarize key supporting ideas and details in highly complex passages Example: Reading question #2 on page 33 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16.
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31. Purpose & Point of View >> Intent & Purpose Choice B is incorrect because the passage only mentions Patek and Baio filming the ants’ defensive maneuvers in line 46, so analyzing filming techniques cannot be the primary purpose of the passage. Choice C is incorrect because this passage describes the jaws of Odontomachus bauri but does not compare them to the jaws of other ant species. Choice D is incorrect because although the last paragraph speculates the evolution of the escape jump, this is not the primary purpose of the entire passage. The correct answer is A. The passage as a whole provides an overview of how the jaws in trap-jaw ants operate. The first paragraph introduces trap-jaw ants and their unique ability to jump with their jaws (lines 6-7), and the last paragraph speculates how this function evolved.
32. Word Meanings & Word Choice >> Analyze Word & Phrase Choice Choice F is incorrect because lines 73–75 and lines 86–89 do not contain sarcasm. Furthermore, this passage is mostly technical, not casual or playful. Choice H is incorrect because lines 73–75 and 86–89 are not combative, which means eager to fight. Choice J is incorrect because these lines do not give personal anecdotes. A personal anecdote would be a short and amusing or interesting story involving the narrator. The correct answer is G. The last sentence of the passage is lighthearted, joking about banging one’s head against the ground, and lines 73–75 do present a somewhat amusing image of intruders being propelled head over heels from the ants’ habitat.
33. Word Meanings & Word Choice >> Interpret Words & Phrases Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the context of the phrase in question explains that trap–jaw ants store energy in their jaws to penetrate well–defended prey (lines 80–82). The verb penetrate means to force through, which would not apply to prey that attack with lethal bites, travel in groups, or move quickly. The correct answer is A. It is logical that the ants’ jaws can penetrate prey that have hard outer shells.
34. Close Reading >> Locate Choices F and G are incorrect because there is no support in the passage that the jaw’s speed comes from easily moving the jaw hinge or steadily firing the jaw’s mandibles. Choice H is incorrect because although line 19 does say the jaw is lightweight, this characteristic is not associated with its speed. The correct answer is J. Lines 22–25 explain that the speed of the jaws comes from stored energy produced by the strong but slow muscles of the jaw.
35. Word Meanings & Word Choices >> Analyze Word & Phrase Choices Choice A is incorrect because the author’s mention of hot popcorn in lines 40–41 is figurative, not literal. The ants are not actually becoming hot. Choice B is incorrect because although the passage does describe how the ants can jump to a new vantage
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DECODING THE ACT
DECODING READING TEST 72-C
point from which to relaunch an attack (lines 63–64), this is not necessarily analogous to grabbing popcorn as it pops. Choice C is incorrect because the passage’s reference to throwing intruders out of their nest in lines 74–75 is not connected to the popping popcorn reference. The correct answer is D. The insects bounced around in a dizzying frenzy…when biologists or smaller intruders approached them (lines 43-5) closely supports the claim presented by choice D. Furthermore, this choice includes wording most analogous to popcorn as it pops.
36. Close Reading >> Locate Choice F is incorrect because the paragraph states in lines 82–84 that what evolved out of trap-jaw ants’ attempts to bite intruders was the bouncer-defense jump, not the escape jump. Choices G and J are incorrect because the paragraph does not support the concept that the escape jump came about because of a change in mandible structure or because of positive outcomes in group attacks. The correct answer is H. The passage states in lines 84–86 that the escape jump must have arisen from a different, perhaps accidental kind of behavior, which is best expressed by this choice.
37. Word Meanings & Word Choice >> Interpret Words & Phrases Choice A is incorrect because it does not make sense to say that the biomechanics of energy storage are a living space for scientists. Choice C is incorrect because it would designate scientists to a taxonomic category (a classification of organisms) called biomechanics of energy storage. This is illogical because scientists are humans, not biomechanics. Choice D is incorrect because a science subject cannot have a local jurisdiction. The correct answer is B. It is logical to assume that the biomechanics of energy storage would be an area of expertise for two biomechanists (lines 31–32). Expertise means expert skill or knowledge.
38. Close Reading >> Locate Choices F, G, and H are incorrect because their claims are not supported by the passage. There is no evidence of hinges preventing mandibles from snapping together, mandibles with cushioned inner edges, or latch mechanisms preventing the mandibles from closing completely. The correct answer is J. This choice is supported by lines 49–51: They also observed that mandibles started to decelerate before they met—possibly to avoid self-inflicted damage.
39. Close Reading >> Paraphrase Choice B is incorrect because the escape jump described in lines 53–55 involves the ant releasing its jaws into the ground, not into a predator. Choice C is incorrect because this maneuver is described as unpredictable (line 60). Choice D is incorrect because with the escape jump, the ant doesn’t seem to go in any particular direction (lines 58–59), which contradicts the claim that the ant points itself in a determined direction. The correct answer is A. This answer choice paraphrases lines 63–64, which state that the escape jump can give
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